Carriage-iron



(No Model.)

J. -B. BIRDSELL.

CARRIAGE IRON.

Patented June 19,1883.

N4 PEYERS. Phu r. wamingmn. no

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. BENJAMIN BIRDSELL, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA;

CARRIAGE-IRON.

SPECIFIGATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,527, dated June 19, 1883.

Application filed March 1, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, J. BENJAMIN BIRDsELL, of South Bend, county of St. Joseph, State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in \Vagon End-Gates and Body- Gorner Brace-Irons; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists of the combination of devices and appliances hereinafter specified, and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

I11 the drawings, Figure l is an end view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view through one end of the wagon-body and the gate, the latter being in its closed position against the body. Fig. 3 is a separate view of the body braceiron. Fig. 4 is a separate view of one of the end irons on the end-gate.

My invention relates to wagon end-gates and to the method of constructing the cornerbraces of the body. Heretofore in end-gate wagons it has been common to locate extend ed' braces on the outside of the body exposed to view and necessarily occasioning a poor finish.

It is the object of my invention to provide a strong corner body brace-iron, in which the section forming the brace shall be out of sight, together with a flanged iron on the end of the end-gate, passing over the side of the brace iron, when the gate is closed, affording apro tection, for the ends of the gate and the body, preventing the end-gate from warping, the whole being securely locked when closed, pre venting rattle and permitting a better finish.

To this end, as illustrated in the drawings, A represents the Wagon-body; B, the end-gate. The body may be constructed in any ordinary manner, with the exception of the corner braceirons C, which I prefer to construct as shown in Fig. 3, the portion 0 adapted to project beneath the body and to be secured thereto, the portion 0 projecting upward along the side of the body and adapted to be secured thereto by means of screws or otherwise, said iron also provided with a brace, 0 located inside the angle and adapted to be inserted into a suitable kerf cut into the body for its reception. WVhen secured in position it is evident that this brace-section c is out of sight. I prefer to construct this corner-iron with a suit able rib, c", to increase its strength, preferably located forward of the center of the upright portion 0. The end-gate is suitably hinged to the rear of the cross beam of the body, so as to fold downward when opened. I design to provide at each end of the end-gate an end iron, D,preferab1y constructed as shown in Fig. 4, provided with flanges (Z and d, be tween which the end-board is secured, also with a flange, (2*, adapted, when the end-gate is closed, to close over and upon the outside adjacent portion of the corner body-iron C.

E is any suitable lock, whereby the endboard, when closed, is firmlyheld in position.

It is evident that body brace-irons as thus constructed form a firm support, while the end irons of the end-gate,-closing over them in the manner described, afford increased strength and protection, dispensing with the necessity of extended braces conspicuously exposed to view, the whole forming a most thorough pro tection of the ends of the body and of the gate, while I prefer to construct the uprightportion 0 of the body brace-irons of such a width that it may extend back so as to be covered by the flange on the end-gate. \Vhen closed it is obvious that said brace-iron may be made narrower and a separate strip of. iron be secured to the body to the rear of the braceiron over which the end iron of the end-gate may close without departing from the principle of my invention.

\Vhat I claim is- The combination, with a wagon-body and an eiid gate hinged to the lower cross-brace of the body, of angular endbrace-irons provided with an interior corner-brace, c, fitted into a suitable lgerf in said body, said end-gate pro vided with end arms constructed with suitable flanges to receive the ends of said gate, and a projecting flange adapted to close over the adjacent end iron of the body, and in connection therewith suitable locking mechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

-J. BENJADIIN BIRDSELL.

Witnesses:

SARAH M. WHINERY, E. H. SPAIN. 

